Wire stretcher



Patented Mar. I6, 1926.

JOI-IN W. OSBORN, OF POWERSVILLE, MISSOURI.

WIRE sTREToHnR. Y

Application i1ed December 2, 1925. Serial No. 72,763.

To all Lo/wm t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN IV. OsoRN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Powersville, in the county of Putnam and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I/Vire Stretchers,of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to a combination tool especially adapted for usein connection with stretching Wire for wire fences and has for itsobject the production of a simple and eflicient tool which may beconstructed at a minimum cost and which will eiiiciently grip the wirefor holding same while stretching.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple andefficient means for facilitating the removal of staples from a fencepost in order to permit the proper stretching of a fence wire should thesame begin to sag. p

Other `objects and advantages of the present invention will appearthroughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of the tool.

Figure 2 is an edge elevation of the tool.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the tool is constructed.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that l designates the bodyof the tool which is provided with a forward outwardly curved pointedspur 2, having at its inner end and intermediate the ends of the body,upon the opposite edge thereof, a shoulder portion 3 and an inclinedcut-away edge .4L so constructed as to produce a substantially Wideshoulder indicated by the numeral 3.

The opposite end of the body l is provided with a tapering notch 5, forconstituting a Wire grip, and this opposite end 6 is twisted at rightangles to the main body portion l and is slightly curved to produce aneiiicient fulcrum, the thickness of the outer end being tapered off to asubstantial knife edge as indicated at 7 A wire stretcher hook is cutfrom the outer edge 9 of the body l and is bent backwardly so as toextend substantially parallel with the body l and be spaced therefromapproximately the thickness of a fence wire of the usual type. As shownclearly in Figure l the fence wire may be engaged over the wirestretcher hook 8 in the manner shown in dotted lines if it is sodesiredr and the curved end 6 may be placed against the post indi- Vcrumfor the Aso be used for the purpose of striking the shoulder 3 anddriving the spur 2 under the staple for removal. The outer curved-facel() will act as a fulcrum if it is so desired when pressure is forcedupon the opposite end of the body l and thereby facilitate the removalof the staple from a post.

As shown in Figure 3 the entire tool may be formed of a blank sheet ofmetal indi'- cated by the numeral 1l which may be cut along the line l2for the purpose of producing the spur 2 and a substantially shallowangle cut may be formed along the line 13 for the purpose of producingthe shoulder 3. The stretcher hook 8 may be produced by cutting themetalvalong the line 14.- and the substantially V-shaped slot 5 may beproduced by cutting the outer end of the body of the strip of metal asindicated in dotted lines by the numeral 5 in Figure 3.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in mechanicalconstruction may be employed without departing from the spirit of theinvention so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In using the device the operator may place a wire behind the hook 8 andby grasping both ends of the tool the wire grip may be easily stretchedfor the purpose ofV taking up the slack in the wire.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. As an article of manufacture, a tool formed from a blank sheet ofmaterial, and comprising an elongated body having one end thereoftwisted at right angles to the body and arcuately curved for producing arocking fulcrum, and a wire gripping hook cut from one edge of the bodyand bent backwardly to extend in spaced substantially parallel relationto the body along one side edge thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a tool formed from a single blank ofmaterial and comprising a body having one end thereof twistedsubstantially at right angles to the longitudinal exis of the body,Vseid twisted end being,- areua-tely curved to produce a rocking,`fulcruin, Said body provided with a Wire' gripping hook positioned-ie&r\ilz:i^dly of the said twisted end portion, said hook being struckfrom one side edge of Said body and bent out of theplane thereof and.

directed in an opposite. direction to the said twisted end portion, saidhook extending substantially parallel with the side edge of the body andarranged in spaced relation thereto.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' Y JOHN W. OSBORN.

